1.3: The Scientific Method Animation Video
Transcript:
The Scientific Method
The scientific method is a means of research that uses rules and procedures to investigate a problem. Using the scientific method ensures that research leads to reliable and true results. There are five basic steps in the scientific method.
The first step is to ask a question about something the researcher cannot explain. This research question should be specific enough that it can be used to design a testable experiment.
The second step is to form a hypothesis: an educated prediction of the outcome of a scientific experiment. The hypothesis will form a potential answer to the research question the researcher asked in the first step.
Once the researcher has asked a question and formed a hypothesis, he or she can proceed to step three and conduct an experiment. An experiment is a controlled scientific test to determine the validity of a hypothesis. Sometimes, researchers will conduct an experiment multiple times to ensure that the outcome is reliable.
The fourth step in the scientific method is to analyze the results. The results include any data collected throughout the experiment. The researcher must examine the data and consider what these results mean in terms of helping answer the original research question.
The final step in the scientific method is to reach a conclusion. After analyzing the results from the experiment, the conclusion should include all of the results and relate them to the acceptance or rejection of the hypothesis. It should also include information about how these results relate to the original question being investigated.